Emerging art that challenges, transforms, and connects
As part of our ongoing commitment to culture and emerging talent, we are proud to launch the third edition of the VML THE COCKTAIL Art Award – New Rituals. This initiative was born from the desire to give visibility to new artistic voices that, through transgressive and socially engaged practices, invite us to look at the world from new perspectives.
The focus of this year’s prize lies in the interpretation of contemporary rituals—the gestures, practices, and symbols that shape our social reality. From reimagining traditional forms to inventing new modes of interaction, these rituals offer valuable insights into who we are and where we are headed.
The finalists of this edition
In collaboration with Sofía Corrales (founder and director of Pradiauto), we have selected five artists whose work stands out for its depth, technique, and innovation. An exceptional group where female talent takes centre stage:
- Blanca Velasco explores the tension between the industrial and the artisanal through sculptures that transform the everyday into the unexpected.
- Lara Fluxà works with glass and organic materials to create forms that evoke the fragility of ecosystems and the human relationship with nature.
- Marta Barrenechea combines painting and embroidery on large-scale canvases, creating a textile ritual that reconstructs memory and the ephemeral.
- Maya Pita-Romero creates mutant sculptures made of latex, textiles, and plants that question our notions of body and identity.
- Sandra Mar merges ceramics and poetry to explore desire, love, and vulnerability—shaping emotions through clay.
The selection process for the winner of the VML THE COCKTAIL Art Award unfolds in three carefully designed stages. In the first, the Design team visits each artist’s studio to gain a deeper understanding of their work, approach, and creative process—an essential step to grasp the context and intent behind each proposal. In the second stage, two finalists are chosen after a detailed evaluation based on criteria such as conceptual coherence, formal innovation, and the artwork’s ability to provoke reflection. Finally, the jury carries out a collective and rigorous deliberation to select the winning artist, whose work will become part of our collection.
A legacy that grows with every edition
In previous editions, we’ve had the privilege of supporting artists such as:
- José Díaz, winner of the first edition with Motorik, a pictorial work that reflects on urban rhythm and routine in a city saturated by technology and everyday life.
- Blanca Gracia, awarded in the second edition for El arbolito desde chiquito, a piece that reinterprets the marginal and the monstrous through historical and folkloric imagery.
Both works are now part of our collection and can be seen in our offices.
Year after year, this prize continues to strengthen its position as a platform that amplifies emerging art. We remain committed to cultivating an artistic legacy that inspires, connects, and engages with the challenges of our time.